


Fun Ghoul, Lone Survivor

by vamprav



Series: Mockingbird [3]
Category: Bandom, Danger Days: The True Lives of the Fabulous Killjoys (Album), My Chemical Romance
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Canon-Typical Violence, Character Death, Gen, Podfic Welcome, Pre-Slash
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-02
Updated: 2018-04-19
Packaged: 2019-01-08 06:30:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 6,299
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12248865
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/vamprav/pseuds/vamprav
Summary: Or, Running Solo Sucks Balls





	1. Dracs Fall, Everyone Dies

**Author's Note:**

> I have no knowledge of the Killjoy Universe outside of the music videos and fanfic.

**Part 1:**

The Dracs didn’t attack at dawn, they showed up at midday when the sun was at its hottest. Most crew’s slept during the hottest part of the day because Dracs tended not to attack when the sun was high. There was always a look out of course and Desert cat had put Hat Trick on duty before curling up in the shadow of the car to sleep.

They’d found an oasis earlier that day and Fun Ghoul was taking the opportunity to bathe. Star Eye and Last Shot were doing laundry nearby but wouldn’t be much longer judging by the looks the sniper was giving Star.

Fun Ghoul rinsed the soap out of his hair and leaned back so he could float on the surface of the water. The liquid felt blessedly cool against his mildly parched skin.

He was vaguely guilty about contaminating the water but they’d already filled everything capable of holding water and he rinsed the worst of the gunk off away from the oasis.What he had brought in with him should settle to the bottom with in the day and the likelihood of another crew finding the oasis in that time were slim.

“Ghoul,” Shot called and Fun Ghoul cracked open an eye to look at her.

She flapped his boxers and jeans at him. He snorted in amusement and waded out to put his clothes back on.

“You need a haircut,” Star grumbled and handed Ghoul his black and yellow shirt, “and you’re going to cook in those.”

Fun Ghoul rolled his eyes and gave him the one finger salute. Shot snorted in amusement before tackling Star into the undergrowth.

Ghoul decided it was time for a strategic retreat. He may have been a sixteen year old living in the Zones but there were somethings he just didn’t need to see. Two people he saw as siblings going at it was something he did not need to see.

He wandered towards where Hat Trick was keeping watch. The white haired man turned to grin at Ghoul.

“They at it aga-” Trick started to say.

There was the whine of a ray gun and a bolt of energy hit Hat Trick in the side of the head.

“Trick!” Ghoul yelled as the other man crumbled to the ground.

He looked up to see a squad of white clad men walking towards him. They were led by a man in a ruffled shirt which gave Ghoul pause. A bolt of energy flew past his head.

Alright, time to go.

“DRACS!” he roared and scrambled to get back to the car.

His crew converged on the car just as Cat started it up. Ghoul slid in the passenger window and yanked open the glove compartment to get his gun.

“Why’d you leave it in the car?” Cat snarled and flicked on the radio.

“I didn’t think I’d need it.” Fun Ghoul squawked and shoved a CD into the radio.

Star and Shot dived into the back seat. The car took off like a bat out of hell, radio blasting the last song of the Young Bloods.

“Where’s Trick?” Cat asked.

“Dead.” Ghoul said.

“Fuck,” she said and bit her lip, “okay, you take the bike when we get back. Shot’ll call Doctor D. Is the car still to blow, Star?”

“Yeah, but it needs to be set off from inside. Why?”

“Last Resort.”

Ghoul turned to shoot out of the window. The Dracs had gotten a car from somewhere and others were riding motorcycles.

“The hell’d they get this close?” Shot asked as she leaned out the other side of the car to take shots at the Dracs.

Two fell in quick succession before they started dodging. Fun Ghoul cursed under his breath as a bolt missed his ear by inches, singeing his hair. He sat back down in his seat.

“Is is just me or are they acting smarter than normal?” He asked.

They reached the cave they’d been staying in and Ghoul dove out of the window. He sprinted over to the radio transmitter and tossed it to Last Shot who caught it. The car tore off as Ghoul slung one leg over the purple motorcycle at the back of the cave.

He sped out of the cave just ahead of the Dracs but he quickly put distance between them. It was Cat’s bike after all and she had made some… not entirely safe modifications t the engine that had made it almost twice as fast as the Dracs bikes.

The Dracs didn’t catch them that day. Or the next. Or the next. But they followed the small crew through zone after zone.

Ghoul and Cat took turns driving the car and riding the motorcycles. Last Shot couldn’t drive and Star Eye shouldn’t drive so they mostly tried to pick off Dracs from the back seat.

On the third day they ran out of explosives and Star was nearsighted, he couldn’t aim a blaster for shit.

On the fifth day they ran out of food and Last Shot started flagging.

On the sixth day a stray blaster bolt hit Shot in the head. Star screamed, the agony in his voice making his two still living companions wince.

On the seventh day Star grabbed Desert Cat’s wrist before she could start the car.

“Get on the bike,” he said, voice still hoarse from crying, “and get Fun Ghoul out of here.”

“Are you sure?” Cat asked, eyes sad and jaw tight.

Fun ghoul made a quiet whimpering noise. This couldn’t be happening.

“They won’t stop following us until we’re all dead,” Star Eye whispered.

“But if they don’t see the bike,” Fun Ghoul started to say.

“They’re Dracs,” Star Eye scoffed, “they aren’t smart enough to put two and two together.”

Desert Cat nodded grimly and climbed out of the driver’s seat.

~*****~

They heard the explosion from two Zones away.

~*****~

_ “You all heard about the explosion that went down in Zone 3 this morning. Well, a starry eyed child was caught up in it.” _

Desert Cat scoffed and stomped out of the rest stop they’d started raiding for supplies. Fun Ghoul just stared blankly down at the bottle of water in his hand.

_ “I send my condolences to his family.” _

That made Fun Ghoul roll his eyes, he didn’t blame Doctor D for Star Eye’s death, the man was in a wheelchair and he’d been broadcasting their plight since the start of day two. The words stung anyway.

_ “A few Dracs escaped the blast,” _ fun Ghoul rocketed to his feet,  _ “and are bearing down on the old gas station in Zone 5.” _

Cat burst through the doors of the station. “Hide in the back office!” She yelled and Fun Ghoul scrambled towards the back of the store.

“Where are you going?” He called over his shoulder.

“To make the Dracs think they got us all!”

“What?!”

“The car exploded, little ghoul. They probably think only one of us is still alive!”

“But-” Ghoul protested.

“I’m twenty-three, little ghoul,” Cat interrupted, “I’ve been running for a long, long time. You’re sixteen, I’m not letting you die in my place.”

“But-”

“I’m your leader, Ghoul! It’s my job to keep you alive! Also, I’m bright fucking purple and I’m not giving that color up for anything!”

“But, I’m purple, too.” Fun Ghoul cried.

“No, you’re yellow,” Desert Cat told him, voice tight in an attempt not to cry, “the sun to our shadows. Please, please don’t make me watch you die.”

And then she was crying, so overwrought that she didn’t even care about the wasted water. Fun Ghoul swallowed and nodded, trying to hold back his own tears.

“Go,” Desert Cat choked.

He went.


	2. A Series of Meetings

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Party Poison is a red haired little shot and Fun Ghoul can not be blamed for his actions.

The first time Fun Ghoul met Party Poison he almost blew his head off. It was the aniversary of Cat’s death and he wa hold up in the old gas station where she’d died. It probably wasn’t healthy bu Ghoul didn’t care, he felt like shit anyway.

He woke up from a dead sleep to the sound of someone cooing.

“Aren’t you a pretty girl,” a voice said from not too far away and Ghoul froze, “where’s your owner sweet thing?”

Ghoul rolled over onto his hands and knees and peered through the convieniance store’s broken door. There was a man crouching next to Desert Cat’s bike with his back to the store. He had bright red hair that practically screamed ‘shoot me here’ and wore a royal blue motorcycle jakcet.

Ghoul’s eyes skimmed down his body. There was a bright yellow ray gun on his belt. Ghoul stared at it for a second and then shook his head, most runners just painted their guns black.

Ghoul climbed through the door and stood. He opened his mouth to speak and then the red haired fucker traced a finger over one of the red birds painted on the side of the bike.

Ghoul froze for a solid second.

No.

No. Just no. No one touched Desert Cat’s bike.

No one.

It was all he had left.

He drew his gun and took a few rapid steps forward to press the barrel against the back of the interloper’s head.

“Hands up,” he growled and the other man went still, “Now!”

Slowly, the hands were raised.

“Good. Stand up and turn the fuck around.”

“Look, dude,” the man began, “I don’t know-” and then he moved, his raised arm knocking the gun out of Ghoul’s hand as he turned to lunge at him.

The breathe was knocked from Ghoul’s lungs as the other man’s head drove itself into he solarplexus. He tried to catch his breath as he was manuevered around and pinned to the ground.

“I dont’ know what your problem is or who you are but pointing a gun at people is just not on.”

“Who the hell are you?” Ghoul growled when he finally caught his breath. “And why were you messing with my bike?”

“Oh, it’s your bike!” the red headed shit said with a manic grin, “Dude, she’s a-”

Fun Ghoul kicked up violently, knee connecting with the larger man’s stomach. He choked, gasped, and tumbled off of Ghoul.

Ghoul scrambled back and fumbled around for his gun. His fingers curled around the handle just as the redheaded fucker stumbled to his feet.

The first shot went wide, the second just missed as he dove to land in front of the bike, the third never came.

“Get away from the bike,” Fun Ghoul said.

“No,” the red head said, “I came here because Dr. D said you could get me and my crew better bombs than we can get at the Trading Post.”

Fun Ghoul’s eyes narrowed, “What’s your Name?”

“Party Poison.”

Ghoul growled and holstered his weapon. Dr. D had called a few days back and mentioned someone called Party wanting to trade for some of his stuff. The yellow gun made so much more sense now.

Party Poison had been part of the Exodus and had imediatly joined up with a band of Killjoys. Only Killjoys and Mocking Children painted their guns anything but black.

“Fine, you fucker, just dont touch the bike again,” Ghoul said.

 

~*****~

 

The second time Fun Ghoul met Party Poison it was a few months later and coinsided with the first time he met Kobra Kid. This was unfortunate for two reasons.

The first being the fact that Party Poison’s crew was caught in the middle of a fire fight with Dracs. They had been pinned behind a rock with no ammo and no escape when Fun ghoul came roaring down the road on his motorcycle.

The Drac patrol had been in the area for days. Fun Ghoul had been tracking them for almost as long but he'd stayed at a distance and they hadn't let their guard down until recently.

They all seemed to register the sound of an engine at the same time. They turned as one. Fun Ghoul whooped and tossed a grenade into their midst.

The explosion was beautiful, big and bright and deadly. Most of the Dracs died in an instant, others became so injured that they weren't going to be getting back up again.

He grinned viciously and parked the motorcycle. He hopped off of the bike, pulled his blaster, and shot the three living Dracs in quick succession.

“Thanks,” a voice called out from behind him.

Fun Ghoul spun to stare at the red haired menace that had molested Desert Cat's bike and a bleached blonde boy wearing a yellow animal print shirt. He nodded at them and tensed slightly.

“Party Poison,” he said, “and…”

“Oh, right!” Party said, “Kobra, this is Fun Ghoul. Fun Ghoul, this is Kobra Kid, my brother.”

Kobra Kid's expression didn't change but his face went cold some how. And there was the second reason that there was the second reason that there meeting was unfortunate. Kobra Kid was very protective of his brother.

In retrospect Ghoul should have expected the punch but damn did it hurt. Fun Ghoul stumbled away from the blonde, blaster half raised. He may be outnumbered but he was still a Mocking Child even if he didn't wear purple anymore and he would not go down easy.

“If you ever try to shoot my brother again,” Kobra Kid hissed, “I will gut you and use your intestines for rope so that when the Dracs find you, you won't be able to reach your gun.”

And then he turned and walked away.

 

~*****~

 

The third time Fun Ghoul met Party Poison it was in a bar. The night began with alcohol and ended with the two Runners making out against a wall.

Fun Ghoul woke up the next morning with the worst headache he'd had in years, vowed never again, and tried to forget the entire incident.

 

~*****~

  
The fourth time Fun Ghoul met Party Poison, or the third time as far as Ghoul was concerned, was consumed with fire and blood.


	3. Little Sister

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which there is an explosion.

It started with Fun Ghoul driving down a long dirt track towards an old radio station. The sun was high and bright in the sky and the wind was barely above a breeze. Something crackle in the air, something like lightning before a strike or the seconds of tension before an explosion.  
    The sensation put him on edge, made him wary, made him grit his teeth and growl under his breath. It was familiar, as familiar as the sand in his boots, sometimes it was a good thing, sometimes it was a bad one.  
    Runners weren’t meant to Run alone, especially not Mocking Children. The Children were a family, siblings meant to stand together. But Fun Ghoul was an only child now, Desert Cat’s crew had been the last and any Mocking Children left were either scattered to the winds or hiding who they were so thoroughly that they’d managed to forget what they were. Mockingbird hadn’t managed to pull anyone else from Bat City since Fun Ghoul’s fateful ride.  
    Fun Ghoul cut the engine a few feet from the station’s door and paused halfway off of the bike. The tension in the air wasn’t so much a prickle as an electric charge.  
    His eyes narrowed as his other foot touched the ground and the feeling intensified. Slowly, he crept towards the rickety old hut. Each step made the tingling shot further and further up Fun Ghoul’s spine.  
    The creak of the door as it opened set his teeth on edge. One hand fell to his blaster as he moved towards the trap door that sat in the middle of the floor.  
    He wanted to run, to hide from the sensations riding his nerves but he was a Runner and made of stronger stuff than most. There was something important here, something life changing, he could feel it and he had to know what it was.  
    Fun ghoul reached down and flung the trap door open. There was a scream and a flurry of movement and Fun Ghoul stared down in shock.  
    There was a girl in the secret compartment. Not a fully grown Runner either but a little girl dressed in the white of Bat City, she couldn’t be older than twelve. She looked scared but her eyes were clear and she appeared coherent. In one hand she clutched a blaster, in the other was a lock of long golden hair.  
    She was an impossibility, a miracle, a -  
    “Mocking Child,” Fun Ghoul breathed in awe.  
    The two stared at one another for what felt like hours but probably only amounted to a few seconds. Then the sound of an engine broke the tension.  
    Fun Ghoul ripped his hand off of his blaster and scooped the girl out of her hiding place. That sound wasn’t the comforting purr of a souped up Runner car or the roar of a motorbike, it was the low, angry growl of a Drac vehicle. There was absolutely no way Ghoul was leaving a Mocking Child to BLI’s tender mercies.  
    “Let me go!” the girl yelled and tried to kick at Ghoul but he was barely affected by her weak blows.  
    “Stop that,” Fun Ghoul muttered, voice cracking, “I need to get you out of here before the Dracs show up or we’re both in deep shit.”  
    The girl stopped struggling and stared up at him, “What?”  
    “Dracs, baby sis,” Fun Ghoul said, “you hear that engine? That’s them. They kill any Mocking Child they can get their hands on.”  
    “What’s a Mocking Child?” the girl asked as she was plopped onto the back of Desert Cat’s bike.  
    “You are, sis,” Ghoul said, “swept out of Bat City by the Mocking Bird, chosen to Run the Zones. You’ve got gunpowder breathe and fire for blood.”  
    Fun Ghoul revved the engine and the bike shot forward just as the Dracs crested the hill. He cursed under his breathe, this was going to turn into a chase and the was almost out of fuel.  
    He couldn’t run. He couldn’t fight, not with an inexperienced child on the back of his bike. He couldn’t hide, not now that the Dracs had seen them. He only had one option left and Ghoul didn’t like it.  
    Fun Ghoul gunned tit and the Dracs followed with building speed. He fumbled with the radio clipped to his belt as the girl’s arms tightened.He got it up to his lips with one shaking hand, this rankled. He was doing the same thing he’d done two years ago and there was no reason for him to expect a different result.  
    He pressed the button on the side of the radio.  
    “Mayday! Mayday!” Fun Ghoul choked out past the lup his pride was forming in his throat.  
    “This is Doctor Death Defying,” a smooth voice said, barely audible above the wind.  
    “This is Fun Ghoul out in Zone 5,” Fun Ghoul spat, “I’ve got Dracs on my tail and I’m almost out of fuel. I’m headed towards the old gas station but… Dr. D, I’ve got a kid with me. Young, female, fresh out of Bat City, send help.”  
    “Ghoul,” Dr. D’s voice sputtered in shock.  
    But that was all Ghoul heard as he tossed the radio out in front of him. It shattered into a million pieces under the motorcycle’s front wheels.  
    The girl squawked at the sudden bump and clutched his waist tighter. Fun Ghoul paid her no mind, he had five miles to the station and he needed to get space between him and the Dracs as possible if this was going to work.  
    The old gas station came both too quickly and too slowly. The moments until they reached it dragged, elongating like warm taffy but the Dracs were still close, almost too close.  
    Then Ghoul felt his heart rate kick up a notch. The timing on this would have to be tight if it was going to work.  
    The bike screeched to a halt and Fun Ghoul hauled the little girl off of the back. She didn’t struggle as he sprinted towards a rock outcropping. It wouldn’t offer much protection but it was better than nothing.  
    Once they were behind the rock Ghoul put the girl down and pulled out a second, more complex radio. He turned it on, flicked through the channels until he found the one he wanted, and then waited with his thumb hovering over the call button.  
    Here’s the thing about Fun Ghoul, he was an explosives experts. Most Runners were a little unhinged but explosive experts took it to a whole new level. Also, Fun Ghoul was a Mocking Child and Mocking Children always went out in a blaze of glory.  
    So once you actually thought about it for more than a few seconds it wasn’t really a surprise that he’d rigged Cat’s bike to blow.  
    Fun Ghoul heard the car stop, the engine quieting to a low rumble as the tire squealed across the asphalt. He peered over the rock, the car was really close to Cat’s bike but not quite close enough.  
    A ray gun blast whizzed past his ear. Ghoul cursed and ducked back behind the rock. The girl looked up at him with wide, innocent eyes.  
    “What’s your name, lil sis?” he asked.  
    “Grace,” she whispered, voice shaking.  
    There was the creak of two car doors opening.  
    “Well, that’s a lovely name.”  
    Two twin slams broke the air.  
    “What’s yours?”  
    One. Two. Three.  
    “Out in the Zones we don’t tell people our names,”  
    Four. Five. Six.  
    “Because we have Names that we earn.”  
    Seven. Eight. Tink.  
    Now!  
    Fun Ghoul hit the call button.  
    BOOOOM!  
    The sound of the explosion was nearly deafening. The shock wave shook the ground under Fun Ghoul. The girl screamed in terror.  
    Fun Ghoul’s breath hitched in his chest. There was no going back now, Cat was gone, her crew was gone, her bike was gone. The last scrap of family Ghoul had clung to for so long was now so much dust in the wind.  
    The girl, Grace, clutched at Ghoul, face buried in his chest. Another Mocking Child, after this long, it was more than a miracle.  
    “Alright, I need to clear the-” Fun Ghoul began to stand.  
    There was the whine of a ray Gun bolt firing and pain exploded along his right shoulder. Grace screamed as he stumbled forward, clutching at his shoulder. The shiny new bolt burn across the top and it hurt like a bitch.  
    Fuck. One of the bastards was still alive.  
    Fun Ghoul turned, dropping to one knee. The Drac advanced on the rock outcropping, ray gun drawn and aimed right between the Runner’s eyes.  
    ‘Well, this is it,’ Fun Ghoul thought, ‘fuck my life. At least I called for help.’  
    And a little voice in the back of his head whispered, ‘if they show up.’  
    PSHT!  
    Fun Ghoul shut his eyes and swayed before toppling over onto the ground. The Drac hit only a fraction of a second later, with a smoking hole blasted into the center of its chest.  
    Party Poison stood behind it, gun drawn and bright red ‘shoot me’ hair flapping in the wind like a declaration of war. Ghoul’s heart lurched, his stomach turned, and he felt himself go light headed.  
    “Ghoul!” Poison yelled, eyes widening to the size of headlights.  
    He rushed forward and just as he got to the two Mocking Children behind the rock Ghoul passed out.


	4. The Ghoul Runs Alone

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Fun Ghoul is gravely injured and comes to two startling realizations.

“-hydration, malnutrition, sleep deprivation, the gash on his right leg is definitely inflamed and if it’s not infected it’ll be a miracle,” a monotone voice said, “I’m surprised he was still able to ride that bike of his, let alone carry a child and run.”

“Why is he this bad off? I mean we’ve all gotten dehydrated and we’ve all gone hungry, but not to this extent,”  Party Poison murmured.

“The Ghoul Runs alone,” a deep male voice commented, “always has, ever since he showed up two years ago.”

“Two years?!” Party Poison squeaked.

“Party, he’s always been alone when we’ve seen him,” monotone deadpanned.

Fun Ghoul stirred, trying to push past the groggy fog in his head.

“I just thought his crew was small and secretive, like the one that lives out in the old hotel.”

“No, Fun Ghoul just showed up one day on that motorcycle of his.”

“Some people think he’s like Mockingbird,” deep voice said, “born of the desert and chaos. A new god for a new era.”

“Well, he’s clearly a man, the leg wound proves it,” monotone said.

Fun Ghoul felt himself beginning to fade back into unconsciousness.

“I’m just glad that Grace is okay,” the deep voice whispered, “even if he doesn’t make it, he’ll have saved a little girl as his last act.”

Girl?

“Oh my gods, Jet Star!” Party Poison shrieked.

What girl?

“Don’t say that! He’s going to make it!”

Oh, the girl.

The Girl, Mocking Child, Little Sister, Grace.

Fun Ghoul came out of sleep like a bat out of hell, blaster drawn and pointed straight at the three men clustered around him. Party Poison, Kobra Kid, and a man with incredibly fluffy brown hair stared at him.

“The girl,” Ghoul said, arm swaying slightly, “where’s the girl?”

“Fun Ghoul, you need to calm down,” Party Poison said, hands raised in a placating gesture.

“Where is she?” He hissed passed the pain in his leg and shoulder.

“She’s right next to you,” Kobra deadpanned.

Fun Ghoul blinked and looked down at the weight he felt against his left side. Grace was fast asleep, cuddling against his body. He stared at her curls and relaxed slightly.

“Ghoul,” Party Poison said gently, “you can put the gun down now. You’re safe.”

Fun Ghoul’s head was swimming and he felt too hot. The skin of his leg felt too tight and he shoulder was a throbbing hot pain at the edge of his awareness.

“If you hurt her,” he slurred.

“We won’t. Kobra and I would never even dream of it,” Party said.

Fun Ghoul felt his vision fading and he slipped into unconsciousness he thought he heard something else.

It sounded a lot like Kobra saying, “Besides, Jet Star would kick our asses for hurting his sister.”

The next time Fun Ghoul woke up it was slower, like he’d actually gotten a good night’s sleep. He couldn’t remember the last time he’s gotten a full night’s sleep without chugging half a bottle of the rotgut moonshine they sold at the Trading Post.

Actually that was a lie, he remembered the last time he’d gotten a good night’s sleep vividly. But that was two years ago, two long, long years ago.

Fun Ghoul took a deep breath. Everything hurt, his leg, his arm, his head but otherwise he felt better than he had in a long time. It was his chest, it felt lighter somehow, like he wasn’t carrying the weight of four lives with him.

“Am I dead?” Fun Ghoul asked the darkness behind his eyes. His voice was cracked and gravely from disuse.

“No, you’re not dead,” Party Poison’s voice laughed.

Fun Ghoul’s eyes snapped open and he stared at the red haired man who’s face was ringed by stars. He was smiling down at Ghoul and it was blinding. Not so much the actual smile but the emotions behind it. The joy and the excitement and relief that shown through the expression.

“It was close a few times,” Kobra said and Ghoul turned his head to find the blond on the other side of a campfire, “but I’m mildly offended that you doubted my skills.”

“I wasn’t aware you were a medic,” Fun Ghoul croaked, eyebrows furrowing.

“I’m not,” Kobra deadpanned, “but my brother is and idiot so I needed to learn a few things.”

“I’m not an idiot,” Poison protested.

“Well you are the one that decided that the cactus-”

“I thought we agreed never to speak of that again!” Poison shouted.

“No, you told me never to speak of it again. I never agreed not to,” Kobra said, corner of his mouth twitching.

“Where’s the girl? Where’s Grace?” Fun Ghoul asked.

“Curled up next to her brother,” Party Poison said.

“Brother? I thought she came straight from Bat City,” Fun Ghoul said, dread beginning to pool in the pit of his stomach.

“She did,” Party Poison agreed, “Jet Star used to be a part of the Underground. He had to evacuate a month ago though and he’s been trying to organize his sister’s escape ever since.”

“So, Mockingbird…” Ghoul began and trailed off.

“You thought she was a Mocking Child and still saved her,” Party Poison marveled.

Fun Ghoul had to suppress a wince. Right. That. He’d almost forgotten about the fact that no one wanted to help Mocking Children.

“She’s just a little kid,” Fun Ghoul defended, “no one deserved what the Dracs do, let alone a kid.”

“You’re more noble than most,” Kobra told him.

“That’s not saying much,” Fun Ghoul said and started to sit up.

It hurt. It hurt like a hot poker to the gut but not as much as Fun Ghoul would have expected and he didn’t have a sister after all hurt worst.

Fun Ghoul had been in pain for so long that it almost felt like an old friend. But, this time it was different, sharper, angrier, more.

“I need to go,” Fun Ghoul said.

“What? No!” Party Poison snapped, “You’re hurt.”

“It’s fine, I’ll just use the bi-” Fun Ghoul stopped as the realization hit him.

“You blew up your bike,” Kobra said.

“Kobra!” Party yelled.

“Like a splinter, Party,” the blonde told him and then looked Fun Ghoul squarely in the eyes, “You blew up your bike. Go back to sleep, we’ll get you to the Trading Post in the morning.”

Fun Ghoul slowly lay back down.

His ears were ringing and his mouth felt dry and his teeth were tingling.

With great effort he tried to go back to sleep.


	5. A Dead Man Walking

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Fun Ghoul walked into the desert with no intention of walking out again.

When Party Poison woke up Fun Ghoul was gone. He stared at the spot where the other Runner had been sleeping in shock and horror.

“Well, isn’t this a surprise,” Kobra Kid drawled.

“What?” Party said, “Why would he leave? He was safe! He’s still healing, he has to be in pain!”

Kobra gave him a look that clearly found his brother’s intelligence lacking. Party just looked at his with big, confused eyes.

Kobra sighed, “I don’t think you understood how obsessed with that bike he was. He almost shot you over it.”

“So?” Party Poison asked.

“You don’t think that he would be maybe a little upset to find out that that the bike he was so psychotically obsessed with was destroyed. Not only destroyed but blown up by him in an attempt to save a little girl’s life.”

“But he did save her,” Party said.

“And then he found out that there was already someone coming to save her. He probably meant to raise her, train her, and now she had someone else,” Kobra said, “not only that but The Ghoul Runs alone. That bike was his only possession, besides the cloths on his back and his blaster. He has no one to turn to and nowhere to go. If he’s not half a mile away, trying to blow his brains out right now I will be very surprised.”

“Kobra,” Party Poison gasped.

“I’ve never lied to you, Party,” Kobra said, “I’m not going to start now. He’s a suicide risk.”

Party Poison turned and scanned the desert around them. There was a set of boot tracks on the opposite side of the camp heading into the distance. He didn’t even stop to think before he took off after them.

Kobra Kid waited until he was out of earshot before continuing with, “which is why I took way his blaster while he was asleep. I’m inexperienced, not stupid.”

Party Poison ran and ran and ran after Fun Ghoul’s footsteps. He’d never really been much of a runner but this was important. His legs hurt, his lungs burned but he refused to let Ghoul die, to let Ghoul kill himself.

He caught up to the other man after a couple of miles and stopped to catch his breath.

“Where… are… you going?” Party Poison gasped out.

“That is none of your business,” Fun Ghoul said bitterly and kept limping forward.

“You’re… injured,” Party Poison said and began following him, “you need rest.”

“No, I don’t. I need to get to my next supply drop.”

“You don’t even know where we are.”

“The dawn wasn’t red meaning we’re either in Zones 2 or 3, there was a blue Box down the road so Zone 2 it is. The Boxes are approximately five miles apart and there’s three of them in 2. This one had a rusted flap. We’re smack dab in the middle of Zone 2,” Fun Ghoul rattled off.

“That,” Party said after a brief pause, “was amazing. How do you do that?”

Fun Ghoul almost blushed, almost, “Well, when you need to stop to check a map on a bike you learn a few things.”

“Ghoul, come back,” Party Poison said, “you don’t need that supply drop, we can take care of you.”

“No,” Ghoul snapped.

“Fine. I’m coming with you, then.”

“What?” Ghoul asked and stopped so abruptly that he swayed on his feet.

“I’m coming with you.”

“No, you’re not. Go back to your brother, Poison.”

“No, you need me more.”

Fun Ghoul scoffed, “You two are the most codependent Runners I’ve ever heard of. And everyone knows Kobra was the youngest to leave with the Exodus. He’s what? 17, 16.”

“19.”

“19, oh how mature.”

“How old are you?”

“Does it matter?”

“No, but you can’t be much older than he is and you’ve been on your own for far too long.”

“Maybe, I like being alone,” Fun Ghoul said, his traitorous voice cracking around the words.

“Two years, you’ve been alone for two years and you’re injured. You just woke up from a fever that lasted 3 days. Let me, let us help. If this is about Grace we can leave, Jet Star and Kobra can handle themselves just fine. If this is about you not thinking you’re worth the trouble suck it up because you are. If this is about your bike-”

“It wasn’t my bike!” Fun Ghoul roared and whirled to look at Party Poison with tears in his eyes.

The red head was slightly taken a back. No one cried, not in the Zones, not anymore. It was a waste of water and most people just screamed out their feelings.

“It was Desert Cat’s bike!” Fun Ghoul screamed, “She was a Mocking Child! One of the last Mocking Children!”

“And you Ran with her,” Party Poison whispered in realization.

“Yes,” Fun Ghoul spat, “that bike was all I had left!”

“Ghoul-” Party started.

“No!” Fun Ghoul shrieked, “That was what she called me!”

Party Poison took a few quick steps forward to get within arms reach of the other man, rather than away like most would.

“Fun Ghoul,” he said clearly, “she gave you your Name-”

“How-”

“-no, don’t interrupt. It’s my turn to talk. I didn’t know Desert Cat, I never had the chance to meet her or any of her crew. But I know this, she gave you your Name and she gave you that bike. She was one of the last True Mocking Children and even though you aren’t one she did that for you. They were incredibly insular but she made you into her Legacy. Are you really going to disrespect her like this? By crawling into a hole to die like a rabid dog, like a Drac.” Party said.

“I’m not a Drac!” Fun Ghoul exclaimed.

“Prove it,” Party snapped, “that bike wasn't’ all you had left. She may have given it to you but that wasn't’ all she gave you. She’s not gone because it’s gone. She gave you your Name. She’d always with you, as long as you live she’s right here.”

Party reached out and lay his hand on the center of Fun Ghoul’s chest, right over his heart. His hand was warm, even in the pounding desert heat. It made Fun Ghoul relax into the touch. Only slightly but it was a noticeable difference.

“If you keep on like this you’ll die, I think you know that,” Party Poison soother, “I think you’ve known that for a while.”

Fun Ghoul sighed and let how tired he was finally show through. It didn’t age him, his iron will had done that, instead it made him look his age. All of eighteen and desperate and alone, always, always alone. So alone that he almost didn’t know how to reach out to anyone.

Slowly, hesitantly Fun Ghoul raised one hand and covered the one Party had placed on his chest. His breath hitched in his chest and the tears continued to flow freely down his cheeks.

“What else can I do? What else could I have done?” Fun Ghoul asked. “I- No one wanted- she was the first…”

“Hey,” Party soothed and reached up to run his other hand down Fun Ghoul’s cheek, “you did what you had to do to survive on your own. But you don’t have to do it on your own anymore. Come with me. Run with me. I’ll, we’ll help you get better. Let us take care of you so you can build yourself up stronger than before.”

“Okay,” Fun Ghoul said with a nod, “okay, but just long enough for me to fix up a new bike.”

Party Poison smiled that blinding, emotion filled smile and started to lead Fun Ghoul back to camp.


End file.
